


Undercover

by RadAnnathema (orphan_account)



Category: The Outsiders (1983), The Outsiders - All Media Types, The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Genre: Gay, I don't know, M/M, Really Rushed But I Didn't Want To Spend Another Day On It, Soda's Stalkerish, johnnyboy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-12
Updated: 2017-02-12
Packaged: 2018-09-23 22:04:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9680900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/RadAnnathema
Summary: Soda thinks he's onto Johnny and Ponyboy's relationship. If they even have one.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Again, unedited. Can't be bothered

Soda furrowed his eyebrows, staring a loose piece of clothing tossed carelessly onto the ground. The rest of the ground was bare, the opposite of what Ponyboy usually did. He bent down, fingers straying over the fabric, before gripping it tightly, ripping it from it’s unclean place on the wood flooring. He eyed it carefully, narrowing his eyes just in the slightest. The jacket certainly wasn’t his, so it had to be either Ponyboy’s or Darry’s, though he didn’t really recognize it. They hadn’t worn it before, no, Johnny had.  _ Johnny had.  _ His mouth fell open a tiny bit, but he snapped it back. He wrapped it around his arm, before stepping out into the kitchen, where Darry was brewing coffee. 

 

“Have ya seen Ponyboy anywhere?” He asked, and Darry shook his head, not glancing up from the spinning spoon in his hand. “Has Johnny been here in the past few days?” He pursed his lips, and again, Darry shook his head.

 

“Not that I know. Why?” His eyes hit the jacket slung over Soda’s arm. “Who’s is that?” Soda pursed his lips, glancing down at it, before gazing back at his older brother. 

 

“It’s Johnny’s.” The entire house went silent, a strange occurrence that only happened once in a blue moon, and it sent a shiver down Soda’s spine. 

 

“How could that get here?” Darry’s voice was lower than usual, how it got when he was confused. 

 

“I don’t know, I just found it on the floor,” Soda shrugged, trying to pass it off as something normal. 

 

“Ya think Pony had just taken it accidentally? Instead of his, or somethin’?” He questioned, and Darry bit his lip, both knowing that that wasn’t the correct answer. They met eyes, and had an empty conversation, before leaping towards the door. They raced down the sidewalk like they might if the Socs were chasing them, towards the lot, where Ponyboy and Johnny would usually be. Soda stumbled next to Darry who seemed, even if he was in good shape, tiring. 

 

“Why does Pony have to be the one who does track in our family?” He hissed, breath panting through his teeth, and Darry sighed beside him. They reached the corner, a view of the lot in their sights. There Johnny and Ponyboy were, along with Dally, all three playing football. Soda and Darry exchanged a relieved glance. They didn’t really know what they were expecting, but certainly not such a normal scene. They strolled over, feet rubbing against the grass, smiles clear on their faces. Soda waved the trio down, and all three pounded towards them. 

 

“Johnny, you left your jacket on Pony and I’s bedroom floor,” He grinned, and Johnny’s face went entirely red. His hands scrambled over the jean jacket, throwing it over his shoulders instantly, blush not really going away. Soda dismissed it, and Darry didn’t see Pony’s chuckle at Johnny’s embarrassment. Dally smirked at his friends, stepping up, tucking the ball underneath his arm.

 

“Wanna play with us, or do you got somethin’ better to do?” His expression beamed, and Soda returned it happily.

 

“We never have anything better to do,” Darry replied. “Pony and Johnny, you joining in on the next game?” The two teens shook their heads. 

 

“Nah, I’ve got homework.”

 

“I thought Pony and I could see a movie,” They excused themselves at the same time, noticing this and Ponyboy’s cheeks burned. Soda gave both an amused glance, Dally raising an eyebrow. 

 

“Man, you guys do nothing but go to the movies and read, don’t ya?” He ruffled Johnny’s hair playfully, and the other bent away from him. Pony shrugged.

 

“What else are we supposed to do? This town is lifeless,” He laughed, and all nodded in agreement.    
  


“Just play with us, alright? Leave your homework to the last minute, that’s what I’d do,” Dally winked, and Darry frowned at him.

 

“Remember to do it, okay Pony? As long as you do it then you can play with us,” He pointed a finger at his brother warningly, and Ponyboy agreed silently. They pranced onto the field, Dally tossing the ball towards Soda, and the game began. The group stumbled along for a few hours, until Pony collapsed onto the ground in a fit of overexertion and hunger after Darry threw the football so hard it slammed into his legs and made him fall to the ground. Before Soda could jog over, Johnny zapped as fast as the speed of light, kneeling down next to Pony and putting a hand to his head. Dally snorted.

 

“He’s not gonna die, Johnnycake, calm down man,” He called, cupping a hand to the side of his mouth. Johnny glared at him for a moment, then brought his attention back to Pony, who was groaning dramatically. The trio walked towards them, leaning down over the hurt teen. 

 

“Darry…” Pony drawled, fluttering his eyelashes. “Tell Soda...he’ll have to do my side of chores from now on.” Everyone besides Johnny and Pony rolled their eyes at that.

 

“Get up, Ponyboy, you’re not dying,” Sodapop ordered, and Pony knelt his head against the grass, eyes shutting.

 

“I can see the light…” He reached a hand, grabbing onto Johnny’s face tightly, and the older boy glanced at the others in slight fear. Dally jammed his foot into Pony’s side, the teen springing awake and doing a complete roll, yelping loudly. 

 

“Ow! What the hell was that for?” He pouted, scrambling up, Johnny following suite, although slower. 

 

“You deserved it,” Dally shrugged, and Johnny giggled. Pony shot him a look. “I’m hungry, and you guys are the only ones with good food. Let’s go back to the Curtis’ house.” Soda nodded, as they began to walk. Pony and Johnny strayed behind, different from usual, since Ponyboy could go faster than all of them combined. Soda’s eyes drifted to them, stuck in their own little conversation, inside jokes whispered between, hands quite close to touching. He scowled. Something was going on between those two, and he would get to the bottom of it. 

 

***   
  


Sodapop leaned against the closed door, ear pressed up to the wood. Darry was out, leaving Soda to babysit Pony, but once the car had left the driveway, Pony had invited Johnny over and they had locked the bedroom door. He craned his neck to hear the muffled conversation, cursing slightly when he could only pick up scrambled words.

 

“Johnnycake…school...miss you...Soda’s got-” Soda widened at the mention of his name, stepping away from the door. This wasn’t working. What did he have to do now? The thought sparked an idea, and he threw on a jacket, as it was quite cold at night, rushing out the front door. Tiptoeing to the side of the house, he peeked through the window into he and Pony’s shared bedroom. Though he couldn’t hear anything, he could see it quite plainly. Ponyboy was lounging on his stomach, scribbling something down in a book. Johnny’s head was resting on his back, speaking frantically. Soda’s face was pressed up on the glass, nose squishing underneath him. Pony looked like he was laughing loudly, and then sat up on the bed. Johnny snaked an arm around Ponyboy’s shoulders, pulling them closer. Pony rested his head on the older teen’s chest, a blissful look coming over his face. Soda almost screamed, but there was a honk, and he turned to see Darry waving at him confusedly. 

 

“Did they lock you out again?” He asked, and Soda shook his head, cheeks burning with embarrassment. 

 

“They were cuddling!” He pointed at the window, trying to calm his breath. Darry gave him a strange look, but walked towards him anyway, peering into the window. Ponyboy was leaning up against the pillows, Johnny lying at his feet, speaking once more. Pony was writing again- it was like nothing had even happened. 

 

“Are you alright, Soda? I think you need some sleep,” Darry softly wrapped a hand around Soda’s wrist, dragging him inside. His younger brother was too shocked and babbling to disagree. 

  
  


Ponyboy woke up with a loud yawn. He stretched his arms behind him, sunlight streaming through the windows. A hand lazily tapped against his hand, reaching up beside him, and he glanced down joyfully at the peacefully sleeping Johnny. He had stayed over, since Pony hadn’t wanted him to be in danger while going back through the dark. 

 

“Rise and shine, Johnnycake,” He greeted cheerfully, Johnny trying to cover his face with the blanket.

 

“Ugh, five ‘ore minutes,” Johnny mumbled through the cloth, and Pony chuckled, ripping it away. Johnny glared at him, sliding up to a sitting position. 

 

“Time for breakfast,” Pony smirked, and Johnny shook his head tiredly, burying his face into the crook of his boyfriend’s neck. 

 

“Your brothers don’t know I stayed over, can you bring me frozen waffles?” He yawned, Ponyboy giggling still at his sleepiness.

 

“Sure, Johnnycake, just go back to sleep,” He whispered, kissing the other’s cheek when he shifted, Johnny flopping back onto the pillows face-first. Pony pulled on a tee shirt, before stepping out into the kitchen. Darry wasn’t there, probably taking a nap until he had to go to work. Instead, Soda was holding the box of frozen waffles with a dazed glaze over his eyes. 

 

“Uh, Soda?” Pony asked, and his brother snapped up to him. 

 

“Ponyboy!” Soda grinned, and Pony’s shoulders relaxed. He couldn’t have heard Johnny and Pony talking, right? Pony hopped over to grab the box, lunging for it just as Soda lifted it above his head. 

 

“Gee,” Pony laughed uncomfortably, and the gaze from earlier set back into Sodapop’s eyes. 

 

“Did Johnny stay over last night? I had to sleep on the couch because you never unlocked the door,” He questioned, and Pony’s face went red.

 

“Um, it was too late for him to go back to his folks,” Pony stuttered out, and Soda narrowed his eyes, his arm lowering. Pony saw his chance and grabbed the box, Soda’s hand racing for his tee shirt to hold him back, but Pony was already rushing through the bedroom door and flopping down onto the bed, slamming the door shut. Johnny woke up from his almost sleep with a frantic start, seeing a panting Pony leaning against the door and a box of frozen waffles. He rolled his eyes.

 

“I meant for you to actually toast them, Pony, not just bring me the box,” He giggled. 

  
  


Soda poked Darry awake, his brother grumbling to the sight of his younger and upset looking brother, dark room casting shadows over his face. 

 

“Darry! Darry! Darry!” He jabbed his finger into Darry’s side, Darry almost shoving him off the bed.

 

“What?” He growled, pushing back the feeling to bury himself under the blankets. 

 

“Johnny and Ponyboy had a sleepover last night!” He hissed, and Darry groaned loudly.

 

“That’s what you woke me up for? Get your ass out my room, Soda,” He fumed, Soda frantically trying to capture his attention before he fell back asleep. Darry closed his eyes and shut out all of the noise. Soda resisted the urge to slap his brother awake. Was he the only one who cared about this? Was he going insane?  _ Yes,  _ a voice in his head told him, yet Soda shook it away annoyedly. 

  
  


Soda opened their door a few days later to find Johnny waiting on their porch.

 

“What are you doing here?” Soda asked, Johnny folding his arms, rain pouring behind him.

 

“Pony home?” He retorted, and Soda leaned up against the doorframe. 

 

“Nah, he’s not. He stayed after school to retake a test. Why?” Soda lied through his teeth, because in reality, Ponyboy was reading in the living room. 

 

“I want to hang with him,” Johnny answered, hair dripping with water, from the fact that he had walked all the way from his house to theirs. “But I guess I can’t.” He stepped back then, obviously trying to peek past Soda to see if there was Pony behind him. 

 

“Is there something going on between you two?” Soda raised an eyebrow, and Johnny scoffed awkwardly. 

 

“Why would you assume that?” He smirked, and Soda analyzed the evidence in his mind. Johnny’s jacket was on the floor.  _ That could happen anytime. _ They had a sleepover,  _ a usual thing for friends to do.  _ They spent more time with each other than the rest of the gang nowadays.  _ Oh well, they’re best friends, what do you expect?  _ He licked his lips, eyeing the boy in front of him. 

 

“Pony’s on the couch,” He stepped aside, and Johnny bounced through, face lighting up once he saw Pony. Soda watched from afar, and couldn’t help but smile. He was overthinking things. They were just best friends. 

 

***

 

Soda was almost asleep. He was flicking the cuff of his jacket lazily, legs folded over each other. A pencil was stuck behind his ear, and the rest of the gang were chatting to the side, though he was so tired he could barely pay attention to the conversation. He had spent so much of the past nights worrying about Pony and Johnny, though it was all for nothing. He was just an idiot.

 

“Hey, where’s Pony and Johnny?” Two-Bit interrupted Steve and Darry’s heated argument, holding up a hand. Soda lolled his head to the side, eyes fluttering.

 

“Probably in Ponyboy’s room,” He slurred, sleep overtaking him. The rest of the gang ignored him, staying silent for a moment.

 

“Why’d it suddenly go quiet?” Johnny’s voice rang out quietly from the dark room beside them, door halfway closed. 

 

“I don’t know, it’s kinda creepy,” Pony responded. Dally stomped over and flicked on the light, giving everyone a full view of Pony and Johnny wrapped in each other’s arms. They jumped apart.

 

“Where you guys kissing or somethin’?” Dally held back a laugh, and Johnny groaned, flopping his head back onto the sheets. 

 

“We were doing so well with hiding it, I thought,” He sighed, and Pony snorted.

 

“Nah man, Soda was totally onto us,” He answered, and Steve chuckled.

 

“Too bad he’s sleeping,” He joked, and the gang erupted into laughter, not even waking up Soda from his position on the couch. 

~~This sounds too much like a sitcom~~


End file.
